Pitless water system

ABSTRACT

A hidden water system comprising an open-ended non-pressurized shell buried in the ground with only the removable top above ground, and with the bottom portion below the frost line and connected to a casting which in turn is connected to a well casing. A constant pressure valve unit is mounted in the bottom portion of the shell in fluid communication with a submersible pump in the well casing and also in fluid communication with a demand pipe through a spool-type adapter mounted within the casting, and with pump and valve controls at the top of the shell for controlling operation of the valve and the pump.

United States Patent Clark Feb. 11, 1975 [54] PlTLESS WATER SYSTEM 3,782,858 l/l974 Deters 417/38 [76) lnvenmr: Thomas Chi-k333i; Elm Irimurv Examiner-William L. Freeh Duvcnpml' Allurm 'y, Agent. or Firm-Henderson & Strom [22] Filed: Oct. 19, I973 21 Appl. No.2 407,924 [57] ABSTRACT A hidden water system comprising an open-ended non-pressurized shell buried in the ground with only {if} the removable top above ground and with the bottom 417/38 44 portion below the frost line and connected to a casting can which in turn is connected to a well casing. A constant pressure valve unit is mounted in the bottom portion [56] References cued of the shell in fluid communication with a submersible UNITED STATES PATENTS pump in the well casing and also in fluid communica- 2,807,214 9/1957 Patterson 417/44 tion with a demand pipe through a spool-type adapter Patterson mounted the casting and pump and val e controls at the top of the shell for controlling operat 0 S011 t i t 3.l23,689 3/1964 Baker 417/44 of the Valve the pump 3,l6S.07O H1965 Baker 417/ 5 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures 22 26 42 I II 75 54 l I l I 35 i i- 25 58 45 I 43 PATENTEU FEB I I I975 SHEET 10F 2 1 i H. .m

PITLESS WATER SYSTEM BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The normal system for providing water from a well includes either a pump in the well casing and a conduit leading to a storage tank in the basement of a building,

with appropriate controls or a well with a pump and-a storage tank in a pit above the well. For sanitation purposes, and also due to flooding problems, most present day systems have abandoned the latter and gone to a submersible pump, with the storage tank back in the basement or buried in the ground at or near the well.

This arrangement is not altogether satisfactory, as storage tanks in all but arid regions are subject to sweating in the summer months, and furthermore any pneumatic system such as this, except those with a captive air chamber, requires constant adding and bleeding off of air through mechanical devices of various expense and complication. Buried tanks can be used but these are subject to corrosion from soil acids and are of short life unless of expensive construction.

In certain systems, and as required in certain states, a spool-type adapter is required, which spool is sealed within a casting connected between a pipe or the like extending above to the ground surface and the well casing, the spool fluid connected through the casting to a demand outlet. A water seal at this juncture is also re quired; and it is with this system, normally requiring a pneumatic tank with which this invention is concerned.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention comprises an open-ended nonpressurized shell having a detachable watertight lid, which shell is placed in the ground, having a length sufficient that the lower portion thereof is below the frost line of the ground, and which shell is adapted to be fitted in one manner or another to a casting which is connected between the shell and the conventional well casing, and which casting has a fluid connection to a demand outlet. Sealed within the casting, and removable therefrom by lifting, is a spool having a chamber therein which has an outlet registering with the casting demand fluid connection, and which has an inlet in an upper portion thereof leading to the chamber.

Above the spool and casting unit is mounted a valve means which is capable of delivering water under constant pressure at any given flow to an outlet fluid connection to the spool inlet. The interior of the valve means is directly connected by a conduit extended downwardly in a sealed manner through the casting and spool to the pump drop pipe; and the valve means further has a pressure switch outlet fluid connected to controls at the upper end of the shell for controlling the pump in response to the demand.

Alift pipe is secured to the upper portion of the valve means, and can house an air line to the valve means for charging as is necessary, and this arrangement provides for lifting the valve means, spool and pump directly out of the casing, the casting and the shell.

It is an object of this invention to provide a new and novel and very compact hidden water system with only a service pipe coming into the building like the service from a municipal system.

It is another object of this invention to provide an improved water system wherein the need for a pneumatic storage tank is obviated.

Another object of this invention is to provide a water system wherein neither the sweating or corrosion of a storage tank occurs, and further wherein the attendant problems of air charging and bleeding are obviated.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a hidden water system located away from the home or building and wherein no apparatus is in the home or building; and further wherein the entire apparatus when in use is virtually vandal proof and free of possible damage from surface flooding, and yet is readily available for servicing, above the ground.

It is another object of the invention to provide with the basic system a novel freeze-proof connection between the surface controls and the valve unit.

Yet another object of this invention is to combine a constant pressure type valve assembly with a spool-type adapter in order to eliminate the conventional pneumatic tank.

In summation, a compact, simplified and economical water system which has eliminated the conventional pneumatic tank is provided, and which provides water at a constant pressure at any given flow, without the usual short cycling of the pump.

These objects, and other features and advantages will be apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a schematic of the general water system;

FIG. 2 is an elevation of the interior of the shell; and

FIG. 3 is an enlarged section of the valve unit and spool-type adapter.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to the drawings, a preferred embodiment of the water system 10 of this invention is shown in FIG. I, which system 10 is substantially hidden in the ground 11, and serves to supply water to the interior of a building 12, for example, through a demand water conduit 13. Electricity for operating the system 10 is supplied through an electrical conduit 14 leading from the interior of the building 12 to a junction box 16 at the system 10.

The water system comprises generally a nonpressurized shell assembly 18 (FIGS. 1 and 2) disposed within the ground 11 except for an exposed portion above the ground level 19 (FIG. 1); a casting 21 attached to the bottom portion 22 of the shell assembly 18 and having an outlet 24 for connection to the demand water conduit 13, and with the bottom of the casting 21 being connected to a conventional well casing 25 within which is mounted a submersible pump (not shown) in any well known manner; a spool unit 26 (FIG. 3) which is sealed within the casting 21; a valve unit 27 mounted on top of the spool unit 26 and adapted to deliver water under constant pressure at any given flow to the conduit 13; and a conventional control assembly 28 (FIG. 2) mounted at the top of the shell assembly 18 within the interior thereof and connected by an electrical conduit 29 to the junction box 16, and also connected in a conventional manner (not shown) to the pump for operating same in response to a predetermined demand of water from the valve unit 27 as described in detail hereinafter.

A lift pipe 31 (FIGS. 2 and 3) is secured to the top of the valve unit 27 and extends to the upper part of the shell assembly 18 as best illustrated in FIG. 2; whereby the control assembly 28-being disconnected from the junction box 16, valve unit 27, spool unit 26 and the pump can all be lifted out at one time.

More specifically, the shell assembly 18 comprises an open-ended non-pressurized shell 32 (FIGS. 2 and 3) having dimensions, for example, of an eight inch diameter and a length, which when the shell 32 is buried in the ground 11 is such that the lower portion 22 (FIG. 1) is below the frost line of that geographical area, and with the upper portion 33 above the ground level 19 for accessibility to the interior thereof. The bottom end 34 (FIG. 3) of the shell 32 is externally threaded for attachment to the upper portion of the casting 21.

A lid or cover 36 (FIG. 2) is adapted to be secured in a watertight manner to the upper portion 33 of the shell 32, and as the cover 36 is above the ground level 19, it can be readily removed for access to the interior of the shell 32. The cover 36 can be fitted with a screened breather (not shown) extended above any possible flood water level, if desired. By this arrangement, vandalism of the water system and flood damage is kept at a minimum.

The casting 21 (FIG. 3) is generally cylindrical in shape and has threads formed within the upper interior end thereof for connection to the bottom end 34 of the shell 32. Further, at its lower end the casting 21 has a pair of spaced seats 38 formed on either side of a flat portion 39, U-cut lip seals 35 being inserted in the seats 38 for sealing against the exterior surface of the well casing 25. A conduit 41 leads from the flat portion 39 at the joint 45 of the casting 21 with the well casing 25 to the interior open portion of the casting 21 at 40 (FIG. 3) such that a continual positive pressure of water is maintained at the joint 39 to prevent ground water from seeping past this juncture.

The spool unit 26 (FIG. 3) is also of a cylindrical, hollow structure having an upper opening 42 and a lower opening 43 formed therein, the openings 42 and 43 being axially aligned. An inlet 44 is formed in the upper wall 46 thereof to one side of the upper central opening 42, and a discharge outlet 47 is formed in a side thereof which registers with the outlet 24 of the casting 21. The spool unit 26 is sealed internally with the casting 21 by a pair of upper and lower O-ring seals 48 and 49 respectively.

The valve unit 27 comprises a steel dome 51 having an upper internally threaded connection 52 for the lift pipe 31, and secured by a flange 53 to the flange 54 of a cast iron body 56, and holding between the flanges a diaphragm retainer plate 57 with an air opening 58 formed centrally thereof, and with a rubberized diaphragm 59 therebelow. By this arrangement, a pair of upper and lower air chambers 61 and 62, respectively, are formed above and below the retainer plate 57. For the purpose of recharging these air chambers when necessary, an air conduit 63 (FIG. 3) may be inserted into the lift pipe 31 and extended through the connection 52 into the upper air chamber 61; an air valve 64 being secured at the top of the conduit 63 near the shell cover 36.

Secured by a washer 66 or the like to the underside of the diaphragm 59 is a stainless steel poppet valve 67 the lower end 68 of which is adapted to seat in a fluid tight manner upwardly against a valve seat 69 formed in the body 56 and which seat is aided by a Teflon seal 70 secured about the'circular seat 69. A water chamber 71 is formed within the body 56 andhas an outlet 72 leading to one side thereof for fluid connection to an elbow 74 connected in turn to a conduit 75 fluid connected to the inlet 44 of the spool 26 (FIG. 3). Another fluid line 76 is connected to the elbow 74 (FIG. 3) leading to a fluid separator 77, and from whence a fluid line 78 leads to the control assembly 28 (FIG. 2).

The control assembly 28 is a conventional arrangement for a three-wire submersible pump and includes an addition to a control box 79 (FIG. 2) housing the electrical components, a pressure switch 81 responsive through the fluid conduit 78 to the pressure of the valve chamber 71 (FIG. 4), and a pressure gauge 82 fluid connected thereto. The control box 79 is electrically connected with the pump for energizing same in response to a predetermined fall in the water pressure in the valve chamber 71, and does not shut down the pump until the demand has ceased, during which time conventional operation of the pump maintains a constant pressure at any given flow in the water system 10. The control assembly 28 can be used also for a twowire submersible pump by leaving out the control box 79.

More in detail, under normal conditions with no demand upon the water system 10, the lower end 68 of the poppet valve 67 is seated within the seat 69, due to the water pressure on the end 68 and the diaphragm 59 being greater than the air pressure above the diaphragm 59. Upon the calling for water through the conduit 13 by opening, for example, a single, conventional sink-type faucet (not shown) within the building 12, the lowering of the water pressure in the chamber 71 (FIG. 4) is detected through the conduits 76 and 78 (FIG. 2) by the control assembly 28 which then energizes the pump to and water to be forced upwardly through a drop pipe 83 (FIG. 3) inserted and said the openings 42 and 43 of the spool 26 and connected to the lower end 73 of the valve unit 27.

Due to the pressure in the chamber 71 dropping, the air pressure within chamber 61 and 62 forces the diaphragm 59 downwardly as viewed in FIG. 4, moving the lower end 68 of the poppet valve 67 away from its seat 69 and thus permitting the water from the drop pipe 83 to enter the valve chamber 71, and of course to move therethrough the elbow 74 and into the spool interior chamber via the inlet 44 formed in the wall 46 (FIG. 3).

From within the spool chamber 50, the water is permitted to flow outwardly through the side discharge opening 47 and the outlet 24 of the casting 21 into the demand water conduit 13 for transmission to the interior of the building 12 (FIG. 1).

Water will then continue to flow; the pump continuing to operate continuously, rather than starting and stopping, until the demand ceases, at which time the pressure in the water chambers 71 (FIG. 4) builds up sufficiently to effect a closing of the poppet valve 67 on its seat 69, and also effecting through the line 76, fluid separator 77 and line 78 operation of the control assembly 28 to shut off the pump. A new, subsequent demand for water will cause a repeat of the aforementioned operation.

The fluid separator 77 is not described in detail hereinafter, but is described in my co-pending application entitled HIDDEN WATER SYSTEM and filed Oct. 12, I973, Ser. No. 405830. The description of the fluid separator in that application is to be incorporated herein in full, but forms no part of this invention.

It can thus be seen that the aforementioned water system utilizing: a non-pressurized shell fixed in the ground with only the upper end exposed and with the bottom end secured to a casting; the casting secured in turn to the upper end of a conventional well casing and having an outlet registering with a demand water conduit; a spool unit mounted in a sealed but removable manner within the casting and having a fluid tight chamber formed therein with an outlet registering with the casting outlet; a constant pressure valve mounted on the top of the spool unit and having a lower end thereof connected by a drop pipe through the spool unit to the submerged pump, having further a water outlet fluid connected to the interior of the spool unit. and additionally having a fluid connection to a control system which is accessible at the top of the shell; the ar rangement providing for the drawing of water from the pump upwardly through the drop pipe to the constant pressure valve and then back to the interior of the spool and thence outwardly therefrom through the casting outlet to a demand water conduit; this action being controlled by the control system fluid connected to the interior of the constant pressure valve for detecting a change in the pressure of the water therein; all of these elements cooperating to provide a pitless water system providing constant water pressure at any given flow, eliminating the conventional pneumatic storage tank, and enabling the shell to be substantially the same size as the well casing.

l claim:

1. An apparatus for transmitting fluid such as water from a pump in a well casing upwardly through the drop pipe of the pump to a demand outlet comprising:

shell means including a hollow shell open at the top and bottom and of sufficient length such that a lower portion thereof would be below the frost line of a given geographical area and the upper portion thereof would be above the ground level for accessibility to the interior thereof, said hollow shell having a diameter no greater than the diameter of the well casing;

casting means including a casting threadably connected at the upper end thereof to the lower end of said shell and the upper end of the well casing, said casting having an outlet formed therein for fluid connection to the demand outlet;

spool means including a spool unit having an onclosed water chamber, said spool unit located within and adjacent to the inside wall of said casting, said spool unit having sealing members between said spool unit and said casting to prevent fluid flow therebetween, said spool unit having aligned openings formed in the top and the bottom thereof to receive the drop pipe therethrough, and said spool unit having an outlet registered with and fluid connected to said casting means outlet and further having an inlet formed in the top wall) thereof; valve means for delivering water under constant pres sure at any given flow, said valve means having a valve inlet and a valve outlet, said valve inlet fluid connected in a sealed manner to the drop pipe near to the top of said spool unit, said valve outlet fluid connected to said inlet of said spool unit; and

pressure responsive means for operating the pump in response to a predetermined demand of the water from said valve means located at the upper end of said shell and fluid connected to and intermediate of said valve outlet and said inlet of said spool unit and to the pump.

2. An apparatus for transmitting fluid as described in claim 1, and further wherein said valve means includes a housing, a water chamber in said housing, said valve inlet and said valve outlet being formed in said housing and being fluidly connected with said chamber, a poppet valve movable to close said valve inlet from said chamber, a diaphragm connected to said poppet valve, fluid pressure in said housing against said diaphragm normally tending to open said poppet valve.

3. An apparatus for transmitting fluid as described in claim I, and further wherein means for simultaneously removing said valve means, spool means, pressure responsive means, the drop pipe and the pump from said shell means by lifting, said means for removing includ ing an elongated pipe passed through said shell means and affixed to said valve means.

4. An apparatus for transmitting fluid as described in claim 1, and further wherein said shell means includes a cover adapted to be connected to the top of the shell and extendible above the ground for easy access to the interior of the shell, said cover including a removable breather means for extending said shell above the flood water level for a given geographical area.

5. An apparatus for transmitting fluid as described in claim 2, and further wherein said an elongated pipe is fluid connected to said valve means for supplying fluid under pressure thereto, the upper end of said pipe disposed at the top of said shell, an air valve means connected to said pipe upper end for recharging said pipe andsaid valve means when necessary. 

1. An apparatus for transmitting fluid such as water from a pump in a well casing upwardly through the drop pipe of the pump to a demand outlet comprising: shell means including a hollow shell open at the top and bottom and of sufficient length such that a lower portion thereof would be below the frost line of a given geographical area and the upper portion thereof would be above the ground level for accessibility to the interior thereof, said hollow shell having a diameter no greater than the diameter of the well casing; casting means including a casting threadably connected at the upper end thereof to the lower end of said shell and the upper end of the well casing, said casting having an outlet formed therein for fluid connection to the demand outlet; spool means including a spool unit having an enclosed water chamber, said spool unit located within and adjacent to the inside wall of said casting, said spool unit having sealing members between said spool unit and said casting to prevent fluid flow therebetween, said spool unit having aligned openings formed in the top and the bottom thereof to receive the drop pipe therethrough, and said spool unit having an outlet registered with and fluid connected to said casting means outlet and further having an inlet formed in the top wall) thereof; valve means for delivering water under constant pressure at any given flow, said valve means having a valve inlet and a valve outlet, said valve inlet fluid connected in a sealed manner to the drop pipe near to the top of said spool unit, said valve outlet fluid connected to said inlet of said spool unit; and pressure responsive means for operating the pump in response to a predetermined demand of the water from said valve means located at the upper end of said shell and fluid connected to and intermediate of said valve outlet and said inlet of said spool unit and to the pump.
 2. An apparatus for transmitting fluid as described in claim 1, and further wherein said valve means includes a housing, a water chamber in said housing, said valve inlet and said valve outlet being formed in said housing and being fluidly connected with said chamber, a poppet valve movable to close said valve inlet from said chamber, a diaphragm connected to said poppet valve, fluid pressure in said housing against said diaphragm normally tending to open said poppet valve.
 3. An apparatus for transmitting fluid as described in claim 1, and further wherein means for simultaneously removing said valve means, spool means, pressure responsive means, the drop pipe and the pump from said shell means by lifting, said means for removing including an elongated pipe passed through said shell means and affixed to said valve means.
 4. An apparatus for transmitting fluid as described in claim 1, and further wherein said shell means includes a cover adapted to be connected to the top of the shell and extendible above the ground for easy access to the interior of the shell, said cover including a removable breather means for extending said shell above the flood water level for a given geographical area.
 5. An apparatus for transmitting fluid as described in claim 2, and further wherein said an elongated pipe is fluid connected to said valve means for supplying fluid under pressure thereto, the upper end of said pipe disposed at the top of said shell, an air valve means connected to said pipe upper end for recharging said pipe andsaid valve means when necessary. 